§ MR. BROADHURSTI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, having regard to the difficulty of obtaining suitable house accommodation at reasonable rents in the vicinity of the Houses of Parliament, the Government 1204 will take steps to provide such accommodation for Members who may desire such facilities.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI am aware that the difficulty to which the hon. Gentleman refers does exist, indeed, I believe that the great growth of public offices in the immediate neighbourhood of the Houses of Parliament has created a difficulty in regard to business offices as well. But I think the hon. Gentleman will see that, although a difficulty undoubtedly exists, it would not be possible for the Government to attempt to remedy it; the only remedy I can imagine is that of improved transit from this House at convenient hours, or more inconvenient hours, as the case may be, to places where hon. Gentlemen reside Of course, an immense improvement has been introduced in our practice by the Twelve O'clock Rule, which enables hon. Gentlemen who live at distances to make their arrangements less inconvenient than they used to be in former times.